1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a printer having a structure for printing a recording paper fed from a recording rolled paper such as a rolled label sheet with base sheet and for separating a label from a base sheet after printing. Specifically, the invention relates to a printer in which a recording rolled paper loading operation becomes easy.
2. Related Art
In general, at a shopping center, a distribution center or the like, a label which indicates the final destination or the like is attached to cargo to be delivered. Normally, the printing operation is applied to the labels adhered on a base sheet. Then, the labels are separated one by one from the base sheet and are attached to the cargo.
Conventional printers for this purpose are disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication Hei. 8-295323, Japanese Patent 2633726 or the like. These publications show a separating structure wherein the labels are automatically separated from the base sheet after printing.
As shown in these publications, a label printer includes a roll-accommodating portion in a body. The recording rolled paper is accommodated in this portion, and the label sheet is fed from this portion. After passing through a printing portion, the printed labels are separated from the base sheet by transporting the label sheet through a transporting path with a curled portion. Then, the label is discharged from a discharging port formed on a cover of the roll accommodating portion.
In the above-described construction, it is preferable to be able to easily operate the cover when the recording rolled paper is loaded. Further, when new roll paper is loaded, it is preferable to easily satisfy the condition by a simple operation, that is, the label sheet fed from a recording rolled paper travels along the transporting path with the curled portion, as a constituent of the separating structure, and is pulled off to an external portion of the printer body.
3. The Problem to be Solved
In this kind of the label printer, however, a space for opening the cover is required in vicinity of the printer. When the cover is designed as a swing coverxe2x80x94wherein two swing covers pivot in opposite directions when moving from a closed position in which they are relatively close to each otherxe2x80x94the necessary space for two doors is smaller than that for a single cover. This is desirable.
But if two swing covers are used, it is necessary to operate each swing cover. Further, if the covers must be opened in turn, an operation error tends to occur.
An object of the present invention is to provide a printer in which an printer body has a recording rolled paper accommodating portion that includes an opening portion constituted by swing covers pivoting in opposite directions when moving away from the positions in which they are relatively close to each other wherein as the swing covers are being closed, the label sheet fed from a recording rolled paper travels along a transporting path so as to have a curled portionxe2x80x94as a constituent of the separating structurexe2x80x94and is pulled off to an external portion of the printer body.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a printer having a pair of swing covers wherein an open/close operation becomes easy.
In view of the above objects, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer comprising:
a printer body having an accommodating portion for accommodating a rolled paper;
a opening for loading the rolled paper into the accommodating portion;
first and second swing covers, for opening and closing the opening, the first and second swing covers being mounted to the printer body so as to move away from a closed position in which they are close to each other;
a printing head which prints on the paper fed from the rolled paper accommodated in the accommodating portion;
a platen member mounted on the first swing cover and confronted with the printing head portion when the first swing cover is closed;
a first guide member provided with the first swing cover, and positioned downstream, in a paper transporting direction, with respect to the printing head and the platen member when the first swing cover is closed; and
a second guide member, provided with the second swing cover, the second guide member positioned in vicinity of the first guide member when the first and second swing covers are closed,
wherein the first and second guide members guide the paper so as to incurvate the paper on the first guide member.
According to the present invention, a separator defined by the first guide member transports the label sheet along the curved transporting path, and such is automatically accomplished by closing the first and second swing covers.
When the first and second swing covers are closed, the first guide member is positioned on the same side of the thermal printing head as is the platen member. Also, the second guide member is positioned at the same side of the first guide member. If the second guide member is set far from the first guide member, the separator for transporting the recording medium along with the curved transporting path becomes simple.
Further, the second guide member is defined by a sheet-pressing roller adjustably mounted, on the second swing cover, in the sheet pressing direction. An elastic member urges the sheet-pressing roller in the sheet pressing direction.
In the above-described construction, the label sheet is wound by the first guide memberxe2x80x94urged by the elastic force of the elastic memberxe2x80x94with a predetermined tension. Thus, the label is separated from the base sheet.
Next, the printer of the present invention may employ a lock mechanism for locking the first and second swing covers in a closed condition.
The lock mechanism contains a lock lever mounted on one of the first and second swing covers, a cover-side lever-engagement portion provided with the other swing cover, and a main-body-side lever-engagement portion. When the first and second swing covers are closed, a cover-side engagement portion located on the lock lever is engaged with the cover-side lever-engagement portion, and a main-body-side engagement portion is engaged with the main-body-side lever-engagement portion.
In this construction, when the swing cover which does not have the lock lever is firstly closed, the swing cover is not locked. Thus, the operator must perform a closing operation such that the pair of swing covers is closed in the predetermined turn, whereby the second guide member surely separates the label from the base sheet.
Further, a single lock lever locks both swing covers, thereby simplifying the open/close operation.
The cover-side engagement portion and the main-body-side engagement portion rotate between a lock position (wherein the cover-side engagement portion and the main-body-side engagement portion engage with the cover-side lever-engagement portion and the main-body-side lever-engagement portion, respectively) and an unlock position (wherein these engagements are released). Further, the lock mechanism further contains an elastic member for urging the lock lever to the lock position, a manual operating member for rotating the lock lever toward the unlock position against an urging force of the elastic member, and an urging member for urging the swing coverxe2x80x94which is not provided with the lock leverxe2x80x94in a swing-cover opening direction.
Instead of the construction described above, the lock mechanism may contain a lock lever mounted on the second swing cover, a first-swing-cover pressing portion provided with the second swing cover, a main-body-side lever-engagement portion provided with a printer main body, and a main-body-side engagement portion engaged with the main-body-side lever-engagement portion when the lock lever closes the second swing cover, wherein a first swing cover pressing portion provided with the second swing cover presses the first swing cover to a closing direction thereof when the second swing cover is closed.
In this construction, one swing cover maintains the other swing cover in the closed condition. Thus, when the one swing cover, which does not have the lock lever, is firstly closed, it is not fixed in the closed condition.
In this case, the first-swing-cover pressing portion corresponds to the second guide member, and it is preferable that the second guide member is capable of pressing the platen member provided with the first swing cover toward the closing direction when the second swing cover is closed.
Further, it is preferable that the lock mechanism further contains an urging member for urging the second swing cover in the opening direction. In this construction, when the first swing cover is opened, the second swing cover which was held in the closed condition is automatically opened.
Moreover, the printer of the present invention contains a cutter blade for cutting the recording medium after printing. The cutter blade is positioned downstreamxe2x80x94in the recording medium feeding directionxe2x80x94of the printing head and the platen member.
In this situation, an opening for discharging the recording medium is provided by the first and second swing covers, at a position adjacent the printing head portion and the platen member, when the first and second swing covers are closed. And the cutter blade is positioned adjacent to the opening for discharging the recording medium. With this construction, upon closing the first and second swing covers, the cutter blade could cut the label sheet or the like. It is possible to provide the cutter blade with the first guide member.
Next, according to the present invention, the printing head includes a thermal head, and the platen member includes a platen roller. In this case, when the first cover is closed, the platen roller is brought into contact with the thermal head.